Obsession: Do My Part
by BregoBeauty
Summary: Jackson Rippner was obsessed with success. Completing a job was more important to him than keeping his life. His life was his job, until Lisa Reisert came along. Then the obsession shifted dangerously... Part One of 'Obsession' Series. REVISED!
1. Prologue

**Do My Part**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything related to _Red Eye_!

**Summary:** Part One of the 'Obsession' Series: Jackson Rippner was obsessed with success. Completing a job was more important to him than keeping his life. His life was his job. That was until Lisa Reisert came along. Then the obsession shifted dangerously...

**Prologue**

There was nothing nearly as sweet and satisfying as a well-laid and executed assassination or government overthrow. A great job could elevate one's position and level of respect. Twenty-eight year old Jackson Rippner knew this better than anyone. He was addicted to his job and the power that it gave him over people as well as the cash it granted him.

He had no permanent address and was never in one place for more than a few weeks at most. For a short time nearly eight years earlier, he was stationed almost exclusively in Miami. But since then, he had traveled most of the world. Jackson was obsessed with his career and would do anything to keep it on the rise.

Jackson Rippner was not even his real name. It was nothing more than his current alias for his latest series of jobs — including the political assassination of the United States Deputy Director of Homeland Security Charles Keefe and his family. He did not normally kill children, but orders were orders and he would carry them out to the letter until his last breath. He had never once failed a job and was not about to start anytime soon.

He quietly flipped through his well-organized job folder. He was a neat freak and everything had to be perfect. There was no room for errors in his line of work. Errors resulted in death. Jackson dealt death on a regular basis and would not become one of its victims before his due time.

His crystal blue eyes froze on the picture of a woman about his age. Her name was Lisa Henrietta Reisert and she was the manager of the Lux Atlantic Resort in Miami. She would be his greatest asset in completing the job on time and properly. She would change the room and be blamed for the assassination, all while Jackson disappeared. He would get away scot free.

After all, he always did and there was no reason to think things would be different this time around.

**Author's Notes:**

Okay, before everyone starts to think that this is another JxL story; I want to let you all know that it is not. This a story about a dark and obsessed Jackson, who becomes too involved in his job and in stalking Lisa. It's my take on his downfall from the perspective that he is a genuinely nasty person. Some of the information in this story differs from the movie on purpose because I just recently got a copy of the original script and I'm mixing up the two. Anyways, fasten your seatbelts and hang on! Enjoy!

**COMPLETELY REVISED ON DECEMBER 17TH, 2006.**

Now the entire series is on the same timeline. Wooo...


	2. Chapter One

**Do My Part**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything related to _Red Eye_!

**Chapter One**

Jackson Rippner absent-mindedly flipped through the files on his orderly desk. He had to memorize all of his notes before the plan went into full effect. Information was essential to his success.

Jackson flipped open the folder marked _AS – CK805 Reisert, Lisa Henrietta_. He scanned his hastily scrawled, sometimes nonsensical notes on her.

_The manager of the Lux Atlantic Resort in __Miami__—target's preferred hotel. She is suspected of being involved with the target. She was once married, but her husband (David Roberson) is now deceased. She now lives alone and seems to enjoy being a loner. _

_Has a peculiar habit of eating scrambled eggs every morning at __3am__. Is a workaholic and well-respected and trusted at work. Unfortunately, she is an excellent liar. However, she tries her hardest to please people. _

_Parents are divorced. Has a brother, sister-in-law, and nephew. Seems to be closest to her father. _

_She should play along without a fight… _

A beeping sound from his laptop caught his interest. He glanced over at the screen, which showed various cameras that he had placed inside Lisa Reisert's home for the sole purpose of monitoring her. He had tried the old sleeping-in-the-car-out-front trick and all he ended up with was a sore neck. Video feeds to his trusty laptop were a much more efficient way of stalking his prey.

On the screen, Lisa Reisert was chatting on a phone. Jackson quickly picked up his headphones and listened in on her 'private' conversation.

"Slow down, dad, I didn't catch a word of that," Lisa's ever-calm and patient voice hit his ears.

"Leese, it's your grandmother — Henrietta. She's…she's dead."

On the camera, Lisa sank into a chair, disbelief written clearly on her face. "No…"

"I'm sorry. The funeral is in two days, if you can make it back in time."

"Do you know how…?"

"They said it was old age," her father sighed.

"I'll take the first plane out of Miami."

Jackson smirked and leaned back in his chair. Everything was going according to plan. One of his many associates had confirmed earlier that Grandma Henrietta was dead. It had been an act of pure genius on his part. Lisa Reisert would be trapped in close-quarters and unable to escape him and the phone call.

All he needed was one simple phone call from her and the target was dead.

"This is only the beginning," Jackson whispered in warning to the figure on the laptop screen.

_She won't know what hit her. _

* * *

True to her word, Lisa had booked a seat on the next flight out to Dallas, Texas. Jackson in turn had booked a seat, carefully making sure that he was seated in first class. Lisa would be seated back in coach and he could not afford a face-to-face confrontation yet. Their past history alone might be enough to screw the job royally. He had to be a stranger on their flight home.

He packed up his laptop, files, and several suits. There was no need to bother with the hassle of bringing a weapon through security. Not that he had not done it before with practiced ease... it just was simply not necessary this time around.

He stalked her through the airport, amazing himself with the predictions of her actions. It was assuming for him and almost as if he controlled her from afar.

_And control her I will… She'll be caught like an insect in a spider's web — and I'll be the spider. There's no escaping me. She should know better after all these years._

It was interesting to see her in the flesh once more. She was as real as the belongings that he had riffled through nearly eight weeks earlier when planting the cameras. She was beautiful woman and there was no denying it. Any man would be lucky to have her.

But Jackson never would. He had passed up his chance almost eight years earlier when he had entered a train-wreck of a marriage with a con artist. Besides, his relationships with women were non-existent. He was the master of the one-night stand. One learned to avoid anything long-term in his business. At any moment, he could expected to pack up and fly half-way around the world, if he was given the word from his employers.

Nothing stayed the same in his life except for his stalking of one Lisa Reisert. She was an annoyingly boring person, but she was all he had. All he had to do was get inside her head a bit more and the rest would be a piece of cake.

Following her for the nearly eight weeks was not required, and he knew that he had spent extra time on an open-book type of person. A few days were all that he really needed, but Jackson knew better. Even the most innocent appearing of people could have one deep, dark secret that would royally fuck up his plans.

He knew this because that's who he was — innocent on the outside, a hardened 'criminal' on the inside. Not that there was anything illegal about his job. He was given orders and he followed them, just like everyone else on the planet.

_I'm nothing but a loyal dog…everyone knows it. I don't ever mess up. That's why I make the big bucks._

"Flight 1515 to Dallas is now boarding," the loudspeaker announced and Jackson smiled. _Time to go._

Jackson followed her as she strode purposefully to the gate and cheerfully presented her ticket to the gate attendant. For someone who had just lost a family member, Lisa Reisert was awfully good at putting on a mask of a happy-go-lucky person traveling. _How can she be so seemingly unaffected?_

Lisa Reisert had just gotten more intriguing for Jackson Rippner. She still had some secrets that she was keeping from him. He needed to learn what they were. He needed to know everything that he could possibly find out about her.

_I have never failed before and I'm not about to start. No matter what, the target will die and she will be blamed. There's no way that she will get away from me._

And maybe, just maybe, once the job was finished, he would follow her some more — just to torment her and screw with her fragile mind. If he killed her, it would be too suspicious; therefore she had to remain alive for a while. Eventually, he could kill her off, but not right away.

Jackson could still have some fun with her after their enjoyable plane flight to Miami. That night he would sit next to her and become what nightmares are made of, but not right away. There was still several days left until the plan went into complete motion.

_I'll be ready for you, Lisa. I'll be waiting. There's no escape…you can't hide from me. _

**Author's Notes:**

Jackson needs to get a life. Of course, he could also seek some professional help, but that's just my view. In this story, Jackson had Grandma Henrietta killed so that he could trap her on the plane and make his job easier. Thanks for the reviews and enjoy! It might be another week before the next chapter gets up because I'm going away soon. But, you never know!


	3. Chapter Two

**Do My Part**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything related to _Red Eye_!

**Chapter Two**

_He answered his cell phone, his voice smooth as silk, when it rang. It was the private cell phone whose number only went out to people in his business. Only the high-paying customers who could afford him knew how to reach him. _

_The prospect of a new job excited him. It had been a boring last two weeks without anything to plot, or anyone to track. He hated being in a slump, and his business was falling. Fewer people wanted to use his successful methods to take someone out. _

_Brash action was preferred in these days of change. Terrorism had reshaped his career and now he was in the final stages of preparation for a switch in vocation. He was no longer needed, and therefore just waiting for the perfect final job before swearing it off for good. _

_He would undoubtedly miss his job, but he could always find a new one to obsess over. He was good at adaptation — he was a chameleon when working on a job. No one had ever even once managed to connect him to various, high-impacting assassinations. _

_"Hello," he said. _

_"Code 54543?" questioned the other man on the line, using his system of numbers to determine a job. It was safer to talk in numbers than words. _

_"Roger," he replied, smirking to himself. Boy, do I need something to do… _

_"18507?" _

_The code for an assassination. _

_His smile grew wider. "Date?" _

_"805." _

_August – a ways away… plenty of time for him to plan. _

_"Continue." _

_"Uh, 11, 5, 5, 6, 5." _

_"First?" _

_"3, 8, 1, 18, 12, 5, 19." _

_Charles Keefe — an August assassination. _

_"Anything else?" _

_" Miami — Lux Atlantic." _

_"Will 18507 be there?" he questioned, asking for confirmation. _

_"Yes. Manager of hotel will be used. There needs to be a room change." _

_"From?" _

_"3825 to 4080." _

_"Done deal. Payment?" _

_"Half now, rest on delivery." _

_He nodded. This person certainly knew the rules of the game. He could not help but admire that. _

_He began surveillance on the target as well as the hotel manager almost immediately. The highlights of his day revolved around the pretty young woman. She was captivating in the way that she hid herself away, locked her beauty up tight, and never seemed truly happy. _What made you that way, Leese?_ When he had last seen her two years earlier, she had been very happy. _

_The secrets revolving her slowly came to light. When he installed the cameras, he found pictures of her and another man — pictures of a smiling couple in the prime of their lives. All the pictures were several years old, prompting him to dig into her background. _Who had broken her heart and left her an empty shell?

_The man in the photographs was her husband — a special ops soldier killed in the line of duty in a far-off country during the recent war on terrorism. As far as he could tell, the beginning of her decline into becoming a workaholic and loner had been then, shortly after she received the earth-shattering news four years earlier. Of course, he had a feeling that her problems had begun four years before that, when she had turned him down. _

_Her perfect world had fallen into pieces over the years and now he would destroy it even further. After all, it was his job to ensure that she followed through with the plan and made the phone call. That's all that he needed. One simple phone call to change the room, and his employers would handle the rest. Keefe was a dead man — plain and simple as that. _

_Lisa Reisert (she had reverted to her maiden name) was supposed to make sure of it. _

**Author's Notes:**

Okay, this is a sad excuse for a chapter, but I thought it would be nice to see the beginning of Jackson's job and some of his early thoughts. I hate thunderstorms because I wrote this during one and it kept distracting me. Anyways, enjoy and I'm sorry about the long wait. I'm back now, so the updates should be more frequent.


	4. Chapter Three

**Do My Part**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything related to _Red Eye_!

**Chapter Three**

There she was — Lisa Henrietta Reisert — _his_ Lisa. She was purposefully headed to her mother's front door, her carry-on suitcase rolling along behind her. He could see her red-rimmed eyes and tear-stained cheeks. Apparently, she had let her barriers down on the flight to Texas and cried.

_Good girl, Lisa, let all those emotions out. Emotions can't interfere with our plans._

"Lisa, oh, baby," her mother cried out as she opened the door and enveloped her daughter in a tight hug.

Lisa was frozen; trapped inside a nightmare that she was unable to escape. She remained motionless during the embrace, not once moving to return the affection. She was strangely cold.

_Are we afraid of getting emotional, my dear Lisa? Ever since your husband died, it's been hard, hasn't it? What a shame…you had never even really cared for him to begin with. _

"Hi, mom," she managed to choke out.

Jackson sighed from inside his car, parked carefully across the street. _Now she's sliding back behind that mask that she so carefully crafted and wears._

Of course, he only had himself to blame for that. He had purposefully had her grandmother killed for the sole purpose of getting her to him. It was a cold, calculated move to draw her into his plot.

Grandma Henrietta would have kicked the bucket eventually. He was actually doing Lisa a favor by creating an opportunity to visit family and realize that time was precious and fleeting. Plus, he had offered a relatively painless means of exit from life for the aging woman. Lisa should be thanking him for taking dear ol' grandma out.

A tiny, injected air bubble had caused an embolism, which led to a heart attack, effectively killing the ninety-one year old woman. Jackson himself had not injected the fatal bubble, but rather a some-what stupid 'gopher' who did odd jobs for men in his business. It had cost him next to nothing to off her, even though he had been in Miami the entire time.

_And no one suspects a thing — not even my sweet little Lisa… _

He watched her calmly mingle with forgotten relatives, make small talk, and remain composed despite the reason for her unexpected arrival. She seemed to be ignoring the simple fact that death was behind her visit.

_One of these days, you'll care. I'll make you care about your family. I'll make you realize what death is. Would you cry if daddy dearest died? Or would that mask come out in full force? _

The cameras installed in mommy Reisert's home were working wonderfully. He was impressed with his minions and their ability to follow directions. Normally, he would handle all technologically parts of jobs, but he had been unable to be in Texas when then monitoring equipment needed to be placed. His trusty laptop was tracking Lisa as she moved through the house and eventually into the bathroom. Tiny microphones picked up every sound — including her uneven breahting.

As her hand twisted the doorknob and turned the lock, she began to breakdown and sob. She leaned against the door and sank to the floor.

"Why? She was so healthy…" she softly muttered.

_It's all because of you, my dear. You and your 'friend' Keefe. Actually, you're more than friends aren't you, Leese? Did he break your heart with his lies? _

"She didn't deserve this," Lisa continued.

_And who did? Do Keefe and his wife deserve this? You should thank me, Lisa, for removing them from the world._ _I'm doing you a favor._

A knock sounded on the bathroom door. "Lisa, are you okay?" her mother called.

"I'm fine; I just needed a moment alone."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, mom, I'm sure."

_And now the mask is up once more. You're shielding yourself from the emotions and the pain. I'll break that shield, Leese. I'll break it into a million tiny pieces._

She opened the door and rejoined the gathering.

_That's a good girl, Lisa. Just keep on faking and maybe you won't get hurt… not. _

Lisa would have to get hurt. She would listen to him and obey his every order or else he would kill her father as easily as her grandmother. If she misbehaved, she would have to be punished. If she was still a good girl, she would live and so would her father.

_Not that she'll ever see him again… I'll make sure of it. _

Joseph Reisert was the key to controlling Lisa. She would do anything and everything he asked to save him. In doing so, she would be trapping herself. All blame for the assassination would rest on her, especially after her past with Charles Keefe came to light. Everyone would have no trouble thinking that she was deranged and had coldly arranged the assassination of the Keefe family.

_A woman scorned is capable of anything — including murder. _

He knew that she had trusted Keefe — possibly even loved him. He was the first man she had seemingly gotten close to after her husband died. He had played with her emotions and hid his marriage and three children from her. Keefe was a 'bad' man and deserved what was coming to him. Lisa would see it his way.

_In a way, I'm doing this for her. I'm doing this so that she can move on. A man like Keefe didn't deserve her. I doubt her husband even deserved her. Only I deserve her. _

His finger traced her slender figure on the laptop screen. She was too good for these people that she was stuck with. She was too good for everyone that he had seen her with so far. She was far too good for her job.

Lisa was not nearly appreciated enough.

Her phone rang and he jumped, startled. _I'm getting too close — I'm losing my focus. _

"Lisa Reisert," she answered, flipping her cell phone open in the midst of the crowd. She made her way to the entry hall of the house.

"Oh, I'm sorry about that. I meant to give you the itineraries before I left, but you see—" She was rudely cut off by the man on the other end — her boss.

"Yeah, yeah, your grandma died, boo-hoo," snapped her boss.

_How dare he speak to her that way?!_

Lisa was looking out the window, glancing in his direction.

"Shit!" Jackson hissed, stepping on the gas. _I got too goddamn close!_

**Author's Notes:**

Jackson has a twisted mind and he is getting too attached. Enjoy and the next chapter should be up soon!


	5. Chapter Four

**Do My Part**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything related to _Red Eye_!

**Chapter Four**

_ Jackson slipped inside Lisa Reisert's apartment using the spare key that she kept hidden under the 'Welcome' mat. She was somewhat careless when it came to security, which was only to his advantage. A black bag was slung over his shoulder and he was dressed in casual clothes. Had he come near her home wearing his usual suit, he would have attracted unwanted attention. Blending in was essential for this job. _

_ Once inside, he breathed in the sweet scent that a candle warmer circulated throughout the small apartment. What it was, he did not know, but it clearly said 'Lisa' to him. _

_ He set down the bag by the door and pulled on his leather gloves before coming any farther. She could not know that he had been there. Everything had to stay the same, but if he was careful enough, he could examine her belongings and house without her ever knowing that he had done so. _

_ A person's home gave great insight to their character. Knowledge that could very well alter the plan could be concealed inside her cramped apartment. His job was to find it and build an accurate profile of Lisa Reisert. _

_ "The devil's in the details," he whispered to himself. _

_ Jackson entered her bedroom first, eager to get to know her a bit better. _

_ A search of her closet reveal work clothes, work clothes, and — surprise! — more work clothes. High heels littered the floor of the closet and there was not a sensible shoe in sight. _

_ He moved on to the dresser. On the top were a few framed photographs of her and a man. She looked extremely young in the pictures. There was also a picture of her and her parents, and one of her and her father. _

_ "Daddy's little girl, huh, Lisa?" he asked the photograph. _

_ He began rifling through the drawers. Sensible, no frill underwear (disappointing) filled the top drawer. The middle drawer contained comfortable pjs, once again nothing fancy or sexy. The bottom drawer was empty except for a small velvet box. Jackson retrieved the box from the depths of the drawer and flipped it open. _

_ A small gold band greeted his eyes. A woman's wedding ring. Lisa's wedding ring. _

_ He was startled. _Why did you keep this, Leese? You and I both know it was a sham.

_ The phone rang and Jackson snapped the box shut. He briefly considered keeping it — surely she would not miss it if she kept it hidden away? — then replaced it in the drawer. _

_ "Lisa? It's dad. I was wondering if you wanted to have dinner somewhere tonight, or lunch tomorrow depending on your schedule. Well, let me know," the answering machine recorded. _

_ He kept searching the bedroom. The nightstand held a lamp, a new tear-jerking Nicholas Sparks book, along with the latest James Patterson book. A strange combination to be sure. _

_ Despite how unprofessional it was, Jackson reclined on Lisa's bed. He breathed in her sweet, flowery scent from the pillows and picked up a strand of reddish hair. He pocketed the hair and reached his hand under the pillow. His hand felt something hard and cool. Pulling it out, he discovered that it was a knife. _

What kind of woman slept with a carving knife under her pillow? Was Lisa afraid of something?

_He slipped the blade back in place and carefully hopped off the bed. He headed into the bathroom and checked out Lisa's medicine cabinet first. _

_ The usual cold medicine, cough drops, aspirin, first aid kit, anti-itch cream, ace bandages, and band-aids filled the cabinet. There were no prescription bottles except one for a sleeping aid. Lisa Reisert either had trouble sleeping or was an insomniac. _

_ There were the normal female belongings, hair products, hair brushes, blow dyers, curling irons, and such in the bathroom. _

Ordinary, ordinary, ordinary… the only thing special was that wedding ring!

_ "Why are you such a boring person, Lisa?" _

_ The rest of the apartment revealed nothing important and Jackson set to the mind-numbing task of installing his surveillance equipment. He planted miniscule microphones around the various rooms, as well as his carefully concealed cameras. He was sorely tempted to place a camera in the bathroom, but opted instead for just a microphone. She deserved a hint of privacy, plus not all women only dressed in the bathroom. _

Focus, Rippner, focus. You have a job to do. Stop getting carried away.

_He tapped her phone, feeding it directly to his high-tech laptop. He would now know everything that she did at home now, without having to try observing her from the outside. There was nowhere for her to hide from him. _

You're mine, Lisa. You and all of your secrets. You belong to me.

**Author's Notes:**

Jackson is having just a little too much fun, isn't he? Such a sick person… Anyways, enjoy and the next chapter should be up soon.


	6. Chapter Five

**Do My Part**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything related to _Red Eye_!

**Chapter Five**

Jackson kept his distance for the next few days as Lisa went through the motions of grieving for her grandmother. He hide in the back of the room in a dark suit and sunglasses during both of the viewings while she sat in the front row and even dared to give dead Grandma Henrietta a kiss on her frozen, made-up forehead.

Lovely Lisa was dressed in full mourning regalia. A black blouse, a black skirt, and a pair of black heels were a stark contrast to her pale skin and reddish hair. However, she still refused to cry in public.

_Trying to stay strong, right, Leese? Well, it won't last for much longer. A breakdown is evitable. _

He followed her to the funeral, stalking her every movement from around the rim of the crowd. He blended in perfectly with his surrounds. Even if she had been looking for him, which she was not, she would never have been able to spot him.

_If I keep my distance, she will never know until I meet her on the plane…_

But he knew he could not last that long. He needed to 'meet' her, speak with her, touch her… After eight long weeks of tracking her, of her being the only human in his life, he needed her to be real and to give her a more active position in his life. He had spent the past eight, long years alone and pinning for her.

_Letting her go will be impossible at this stage of the game. Lisa won't ever leave me. I'll make sure of that. The only way she'll disappear from my sight is in a body bag. _

Jackson fully intended to keep her after the flight. He would let her believe that she would be released — and she might for a few precious seconds — but in reality, she was his. Lisa would belong to him despite what she thought.

She was turning away from the grave now, picking up her pace as the rain began to fall. He tracked from afar, memorizing the way she moved, the way she tried to cover her hair at first from the rain, then laughingly gave it up and dashed to her mother's car. Her skirt was quickly splashed with water from the puddles she ran through.

Lisa was almost acting like a little girl. It made him smile to see her so carefree, especially since he knew that later that evening he would crush her spirit and force her hand to save her father's life.

"Soon," he whispered as she ducked inside the automobile. "Soon we'll meet again."

* * *

Jackson gave up his surveillance immediately following the funeral. He had other arrangements to worry about and plans to finalize and follow to the letter. When he returned to his dismal and lonely hotel room, a package was waiting for him from an associate in Miami. Inside the shipping envelope was his key to a new identity and life. It was also the key to completing the job. 

Joseph Reisert's monogrammed wallet was in his possession and his driver's license, credit cards, and other clues to his identity had been replaced. The wallet now belonged to Jackson Rippner. Only Lisa would recognize that the leather wallet was not his own. She would recall that she had given it to dear old dad for Christmas one year.

Inside the wallet, Jackson kept the old photographs of Lisa. Her smiling face frozen in happier times gave him butterflies. He would make her smile again one of these days. He would make her happy once more.

_All it will take is time._

* * *

The rain was driving now, pouring down, and flooding the roads. The chances of their scheduled flight leaving on time were looking increasingly slim. That was the downside to air travel — delays and cancellations. 

There was no real pause in his plan that allowed for any deviation from the original time frame. If the time of the flight changed, then Jackson would have to act faster than he had anticipated and meet Lisa _before_ he sat next to her on the flight. And if he came on too strong in the airport, then she would bolt and the entire assassination was fucked.

_It's a delicate balance to be sure, but I think I can handle it. I have to handle it. I can't afford to screw up. I don't screw up. _

Jackson's icy blue eyes caught sight of the large flight board.

_Flight 1019, flight 1019… where the hell is it? _

Finally he found it: Flight 1019 to Miami, Florida was DELAYED.

_Shit, it's fucked. _

Just then, his cell phone began to ring.

"Code?" he answered, trying to hide his worry.

"Rippner, how's it going?"

"Code?"

"Oh, um AS – CK805?" the man tried, using Jackson's personal code for the Keefe assassination. _How does he know that is the code?_

"Well, I'm waiting on the plane."

"Things just got tougher. You have until 5:00am to change the room. They're due in at 5:30am, not pm."

"Not a problem."

"How's the bitch? Behaving so far? 'Cause if not, I can have someone else take the job."

"No, things are going according to plan."

"Are you sure, because your life, not just your career or money, is on the line. You fail and we will kill you."

Jackson swallowed. _As if things weren't hard enough already… _

"I'm sure. I won't fail."

The line went dead and Jackson stared at the damn phone. He hated lying, but lying was all you could do to save your own neck at times. His employers did not need to know that his flight was delayed and he did not know how long for. It could very well end up cancelled.

_Oh, Lisa, where are you when I need you? _

Right on cue, his target entered the scene, rushing up to the flight board and groaning at the sight of the word DELAYED.

_Well, that makes two of us, sweetheart. _

**Author's Notes:**

The stakes have been raised and Jackson knows that failure is not an option. Plus, he's too obsessed with Lisa to let her go. He's only digging himself a deeper hole. Enjoy!


	7. Chapter Six

**Do My Part**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything related to _Red Eye_!

**Chapter Six**

_Jackson was sitting inside his apartment one night, just a few weeks into his surveillance of Lisa Reisert, perched in front of his laptop. He was watching the 'Lisa Reisert Show', courtesy of his hidden cameras. _

_She had stumbled into her apartment, weary and exhausted, and somewhat drunk. He had followed her to her favorite corner café where she had ordered a Sea Breeze. He had waited until she was safely in her car before he even headed home. He could not have someone kidnapping or raping her when he was supposed to be watching her. _

_Lisa had made it home in one piece and was now wobbling slightly as she headed for her bedroom. She was blissfully unaware of his intense gaze focused upon her through the lens of the cameras. She was singing some random song very off-key as she went through her nighttime routine. _

_Jackson__ watched her carefully as she yanked a pair of pjs from the drawer. _So it's the blue ones tonight, huh, Leese?

_She had unknowingly picked out his favorite pair. The blue pjs had a silky top with a v-scooped neck and showed a bit of skin around her middle. The top was paired with short, plaid shorts. It was comfy and why she had decided to pair flannel plaid shorts with a semi-sexy silk top, __Jackson did not know. All that mattered to him was that it was his favorite combination. _

_Now, it was time for the highlight of his day. _

When did I get so unprofessional? I really should turn my head…

_Lisa was unbuttoning her blouse, exposing slight amounts of her fair skin as her nimble fingers worked the fabric loose. She turned away from the camera as she removed the shirt and dropped it on the floor. However, __Jackson had a nice view of her back as she unbuttoned the bra and slipped on her pj top. _

I've really crossed the line, but somehow, I don't care.

_She slipped her skirt off and pulled on the shorts. Then she bent down and scooped up her dirty clothes and carried them off to the laundry room. _

Relax. Breathe in and out… For fuck's sake, she's only a woman.

_Lisa was singing again as she wandered about the tiny apartment, brushing her teeth, selecting tomorrow's outfit for work, calling her insomniac father back, taking medication, and everything else. _

_It was boring to be sure, but Jackson could not break his eyes away from Lisa Reisert. _

* * *

_Jackson monitored her in the morning from a distance; then followed her to work. While she was at work, he would run a few errands and grab himself some food. Then he would alternate sitting in his car with sitting in the hotel lobby, just so that he could keep an eye on her. She was not the type of person to alter her schedule on a whim, but he had to be careful. _

_One day, she almost discovered him in the lobby. _

_It was two weeks prior to the job, and he had been drawing closer to her as a result. She was rarely out of his line of sight. Even at night, she was not safe. He had been known to slip into her house and watch her sleep for a while. He was always long gone before she woke though. _

_He was dressed semi-casually and in a semblance of a disguise. A suit jacket loosely covered his plain polo and contrasted with his dark jeans and sneakers. A pair of sunglasses shielded his vibrant blue eyes and his brown hair had been streaked with a wash-out blonde color. He had been experimenting with temporary hair dyes on an almost daily basis. It was all because he had to be near her. _

_"Excuse me, sir," her sweet voice said, startling him. _

_He tried to remain composed and not jump. He shifted his gaze from the newspaper he was reading to her face. _So close, sweetheart, so close…

_"Yes?" He inflected a southern accent as he spoke, effectively disguising his normal voice. _

_"Oh, I was just wondering if you needed something. You've been sitting here quite a long time." _

_"I just need a break between meetings and other boring business matters. It's nice to sit here and clear my head." _

_"Okay, I just wanted to make sure—" _

_"Lisa!" Cynthia, a desk clerk, was calling out, her voice panicking. _

_"Sorry, I—" _

_"Duty calls." He smiled at her. _

_"Yeah, I guess it does," she replied and quickly hurried off to advert a crisis of some sort. _

Too close!

_He had almost blown the job. He was obsessing again. If she had stared at him any longer, she might have been able to recognize him on the plane and then the plan would have been fucked. She would have been freaking out because she would have known exactly how long he had been stalking her – or at least a good indication of it. _

You're being an idiot, Rippner. Concentrate, concentrate on the job…

_But every time he tried, Lisa's face popped into his mind's eye, or he turned to sneak a peek at her. _

We'll have a nice, long conversation soon, sweetheart. I promise. And I never lie…

**Author's Notes:**

Okay, that's a disturbing chapter. I was weirded out just by writing it. Jackson is a creep. Anyways, thanks for the reviews and enjoy. The next chapter should be up soon.


	8. Chapter Seven

**Do My Part**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything related to _Red Eye_!

**Chapter Seven**

Lisa Reisert slowly made her way to the check-in counter for Fresh Air Airlines. Jackson quietly stalked his prey — his heart racing in anticipation. Soon she would be his. They were finally in home stretch and he was closing in upon her fast.

It was all he could do to restrain himself in line. He stood right behind her, less than a foot separating them, with a newspaper on his arm. All he had to do was stretch his hand out and he could easily touch her. _My Lisa… _

_Do you see me back here, sweetheart? Do you know what you are doing to me? What you've done to me? _

Oh how he just wanted to grab her at that very moment and claim her as his. _Not yet! I need to introduce myself first… _

"Sir, please don't make her do that. She's doing the best she can." Lisa was trying to convince an irate passenger to ease up on a hard-working line attendant.

The irate passenger turned to face her, not letting up. "I don't think I was talking to you."

_How dare he talk to her that way? No one speaks to my Lisa in that rude tone! _

"No, I realize that…" Lisa valiantly attempted to help the line attendant once more.

"Listen, I'm just trying to get…" he was yelling at the line lady once more.

Jackson could no longer take it. "Please, sir," he started, trying to remain polite when he just wanted to snap this stranger's neck. "Um, she's the only one standing between us getting out of here at all and total anarchy.

"Yeah, but she's not the one in—"

_Does this freak not know when to quit? I'll teach him how to behave. _

Grabbing the man's wrist in an iron grip, he continued. "She's exhausted, she's just worked eighteen hours straight, and she suspects that we all hate her just as much as you do. So what do you say we give her a break? Let her get back to a job that I'm guessing is a lot more thankless than yours." _I'm doing this for you, Lisa. Can you see how much I care about you? _

The passenger eyed him oddly and Jackson turned up the 'creepy' meter on his crystal blue gaze. The irate man tore his eyes away from the piercing quality of his barely-controlled or concealed anger.

"This airline sucks," huffed the man, but he disappeared anyways.

_See what I did for you? _

Jackson made a 'yikes' face as Lisa looked at him and he thought he saw her crack a hint of a smile. _See, I'm already brightening up your dull life._

The older lady who Lisa had been speaking to earlier was headed to the counter and forgot her umbrella. Lisa, ever the helpful one, rushed it up to her. The woman thanked her profusely and even turned to thank Jackson for helping with the irate man.

"You're welcome," he smiled, sneaking a glance at Lisa as he did.

"Yeah, thank you," Lisa echoed, smiling slightly back at him as she rejoined the slow-moving line.

_Yes, keep on talking to me. You can't leave now, Lisa. You're mine. _

The line inched forward and Jackson used it as an opportunity to continue talking. "Oh, not at all. That was just back-up. You got the ball rolling."

She almost seemed startled, but tried to down-play it. "Uh, yeah. Reflex, I guess."

_Of course it. You love to please people, right, Lisa? Now please me by turning to look at me when I speak to you. Did daddy forget to teach you manners? _

He feigned stupidity and got her to speak about her job. He listened, but in reality it went in his right ear and out his left. He already knew everything that she was telling him. It was time to change the subject.

"Right. I know it well. So you're on this, uh…" He faked trying to find the right words.

"Very delayed flight to Miami," she offered. "Yeah. You?"

"Yep, sadly yeah." They both nodded and he could barely resist smiling at her. "But you know what? That's why God created the Tex-Mex. The best nachos in the airport and right across from our gate."

"Good tip. Thanks," she was once more startled and turned away from him. _Damn, was I too forward? _

"Save you a seat?" he asked curiously, hoping that she would agree. He needed her with him – she was driving him crazy.

"Oh, um, ah…" She was acting nervously and seemed to be searching for an escape route. _Fuck, I was too damn forward! I just screwed it!_

He tried to make it light, chuckling slightly as he spoke. "Yeah, you know that was… I just thought since we're on the same flight… I didn't mean to invade your personal space or…" _Of course I meant to invade your space, Lisa. I want you. Now, play along before I have to play all my cards. _

"No, no…" she was trying to remain polite, but she was rescued by the counter attendant calling for the next person in line.

_Smile, just smile and nod._

"I just… I have a few calls to make," Lisa told him. _Uh-huh, nice try, Leese. There's only one call you need to make and I haven't asked for it yet. _

_Smile and nod, Rippner!_ "Sure. I understand. You go ahead. Have a good flight."

He fought to tear his eyes from her. All he wanted was her at his side – was that too much to ask for? Why couldn't she just give in already?

"Okay, you too," Lisa said and left him standing alone in line. _You'll pay for that move…_

* * *

_Come on, damn it. Show your beautiful face already! _

Jackson was silently fuming as he sat in the Tex-Mex bar. He had fucked up the job and it had yet to begin. _I'm a dead man and I didn't even get to touch her yet!_

Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye he saw her come into view. _Finally! Now, act natural… _

"Oh, hi," he greeted her pleasantly.

"Hi," she smiled; then looked to the empty seat beside him. "Uh, is this taken?"

"No, it's all yours." _I've been saving it for you, you ungrateful bitch._

"Thanks," she replied, sitting down.

Anger, yet remaining calm on the outside, Jackson threw her lie back in her face. _You deserve it. As a matter of fact, you deserve to die for brushing me off after all I'm done for you! _

She did not notice the rage boiling beneath the surface. She instead proceeded to lie to his face yet again after he 'guessed' her favorite drink. _You're abusing my kindness, Leese._

"Oh, the name's Jackson by the way," he offered. _I'll show you 'honesty'. _

She shook his proffered hand. "Lisa," she volunteered.

"Pleased to meet you." _Now, if you would just play along and drop the lying, we could really have something…_

"Is it Jack for short?" Lisa asked him.

"No," he began, and then launched into his well-rehearsed 'sob' story. "I haven't gone by Jack since I was ten years old. Last name's Rippner.

Lisa played the part of a parrot, taking her sweet and sadly limited time to sound it out. "Jack Rippner. Jack… the… oh…"

"There you go," he responed. _A little slow, are we, Leese? How many drinks did we have at the cheesy funeral again? _

"That wasn't very nice of your parents."

Again, he launched into his story. "No. That's what I told 'em, before I killed 'em."

Lisa did not know how to respond. _Good girl…got your attention now? _

She added some boring comment that he already knew and then he offered a toast. She was warming up to him and he was not about to loose her now. She was his.

After chatting for a while longer, the loudspeaker announced the boarding of Flight 1019. _Time to play… _

Jackson paid for the drinks, despite her protests. Just as he went to speak to her more, his blasted cell phone rang. It was his boss, most likely checking up on him again. _Damn… I can't seem to catch a break yet. _

"Hello?" he answered it, rolling his blue eyes. "Yeah. Can you just hold on?" He turned to Lisa. "Um, I gotta take this. I'm sorry."

She seemed disappointed. "That's okay."

"It was so nice to meet you," he told her, smiling at her. _It really was, but we'll have a grander time on the plane. I promise. _

This time, he left the conversation.

_Hopefully this will go off without a hitch. You're not getting away, Lisa, so don't try. You're in trouble for being naughty as it is… _

**Author's Notes:**

Boy was that a long chapter! Most of the lines were straight from the movie, but it will start to deviate from the movie in the next chapter.

The whole 'smile and nod' bit is something that my brother taught me. Jackson's feelings towards Lisa are on a rollar-coaster this chapter!

There are no more flashback chapters as we hit the plane flight and home stretch. If everything goes to plan, then the story will be finished on Saturday, with a total of ten chapters. Anyways, thanks for the reviews, they really make my day!


	9. Chapter Eight

**Do My Part**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything related to _Red Eye_!

**Chapter Eight**

_Keep on coming, keeping on coming… atta girl! _

Lisa Reisert was making her way down the cramped aisle of the crowded plane towards row 18, where he had reserved a seat beside him for her.

"Oh…" she said, surprised to find him sitting in front of her.

"Oh…" he echoed, faking shock.

"Hi. Again." Lisa made a face.

_You missed me just as much as I missed you and you know it. Don't play hard to get with me, Leese. _

"Wow, this is a surprise. I wasn't expecting you to sit back here."

"Oh, I never fly first class. It's not worth the money."

"I feel the same way," he said with a smile.

"Well, is that seat 18-G?" she asked, point to the empty seat on his right.

"Um, I think so. Why? You aren't sitting here, are you?"

She stuck her ticket at him. "Well, you tell me."

"Unbelievable." _Not…_ "Need some help?"

Before Lisa could protest, Jackson was out of his seat and carefully lifting her suitcase into the overhead compartment. She watched him, a stunned expression upon her face.

"You really didn't need to do that," she said afterwards as she slid into her seat.

"Nonsense. It was the least I could do," he responded with a quick smile. _See, I'm a gentleman, Leese. I would never hurt you, unless you forced my hand. _

Lisa cracked her head against the low cleaning of the plane and cried out in pain.

"Are you okay?" he asked, concern flooding his voice. _Shit, she can't be hurt already! _

"Yeah, I think so."

"You'd better sit down," he suggested, helping her sit down in her seat carefully. "Are you sure that you're okay."

"I'm fine," she croaked, almost daring him to ask her if she were okay one more time.

"Okay," he consented and sat down beside her. "What are the odds?"

"Crazy, isn't it?"

_Nope, it's just that fate had a helping hand. Well, more like a helping person, but I'll spare you the details, Lisa. You're all that matters. _

"Wait a minute… you're not stalking me, are you?" Jackson questioned her, shooting her a worried glance.

Lisa froze and shook her head. "Nooo." _That's because I'm stalking you. _

After a tense moment, they both laughed. Their special moment was spoiled by the incessant ringing of his cell phone once more.

"Well, someone must really like you," Lisa teased him. "Girlfriend?"

"No, boss," he said, rolling his eyes before answering the phone and speaking hushed, clipped tones. She turned away politely, trying to give him some space. _This is all about you, sweetheart, all about you. You are the reason for the phone calls. _

His boss reiterated the now-familiar warning as well as the zero hour — 5am. Jackson was pissed, but he tried to hide it. He could not have a blow-up in front of his Lisa. He had a job to do with her, before he kept his prize. She might fight him at first, but she would eventually come around to his way of thinking.

The plane began its ascent, shaking the entire time and causing Lisa to tightly grip the armrest. He struck up a polite, semi-meaningless conversation with her, focusing on her family without her realizing it. He was making her comfortable before he hit her with the news. Once they were safely in the air, he would tell her to make the call.

"Thanks," she said once the plane was settled and he shot a smile over at her.

"Oh, no problem. It's part of the job."

"Are you a shrink?" she wanted to know.

"Um, nope."

"Then what are you?"

"A manager," Jackson answered simply, cracking a know-it-all smile at her. She frowned in response.

"You'd better not say of a hotel—"

"Oh no. I'm an independent contractor."

"Of?"

"Oh, just government overthrows, flashy, high-profile assassination -- you know — the usual." He shrugged his shoulders easily, pretending that making a living from arranging other people's deaths was absolutely normal.

"You're a spy, aren't you?"

"Nope, not a spy. Not that I could tell you if I was."

Lisa thought hard for a moment. _Come on, Leese, I've already told you…_ "Hit man."

"I'm a lousy shot. I doubt I could hit you from right here." _Which is of course a lie, but why would I use a gun on you when all I have to do is snap your thin, little neck? Like a chicken, Lisa… _

"The Mafia?"

"Organized crime doesn't pay shit."

"Okay then…" Lisa was creeped out.

_ Come on, sweetheart, this really isn't that hard. _

"Are you planning on doing something to the plane?" she whispered in the direction of his ear.

He turned back, his lips less than an inch away from her ear and whispered, "I'm not suicidal."

"That's good to know," she smiled, relief flooded her face and movements.

"Normally, what I do is my own business, but right now, my business is all about you."

"Excuse me? About me?" The startled look was back. _Jeesh, Leese, I didn't know you had such a good impression of a deer caught in the headlights. It's rather amusing… _

"That's what I said."

"Why?" Lisa was shifting about her seat nervously.

"You remember Charles Keefe? Well, you can thank him for this."

"I don't understand."

"Listen up, Leese. I just need you to make a phone call to your hotel. All I'm asking is that you change his room number. Tell them that there's a plumbing problem — whatever works. Just get his room changed and I won't have to kill your father."

"What?" Lisa was shaking now, her jaw dropped in horror.

"You heard me. Make the call."

"Don't believe me? Take a look at this." Jackson pulled the monogrammed wallet from his pocket and handed it to Lisa. "Is this daddy's wallet?"

"How, how…"

"My friend got it for me. Open it."

Lisa's shaking fingers opened the leather wallet. Inside, all of her father's belongings were replaced with his own. The only clue that it had belonged to anyone else was the old photographs of herself.

"I thought they were a nice touch," he smirked, looking at the photographs as well. "You were how old?"

Lisa snapped the wallet shut in his face, disturbed. "What do you want from me?" _Lisa, I've told you this how many times now? Stop playing games. The question isn't gonna magically change. _

"Make the call and your father will live."

"If I don't?" Lisa was trying to sound brave, but the hint of tears was spoiling the game.

"You'll bury him in a closed casket. _If_ you even make it off this plane."

"How do I know what you say is true?"

"Lisa, why would I lie? Do you want me to call one of my friends up and have him hurt your dad? Would that prove it to you?" Jackson was inches away from her face, staring her down.

"Don't-don't hurt him." _Can we get this fucking show on the road already? _

"I won't, but you have to make the call or else he's fair game. You call, I call — it's that simple." He inched closer. "Don't make this any harder than it has to be, Leese." _Or I'll kill him just for the heck of it. _

"Let me talk to him. Please…" she was begging him, her voice pitiful. "Then I'll do it."

"Lisa, you are the demand-ee, not the demand-er. So, no."

She threw herself back in her seat. He could see the pent-up tears beginning to leak.

"Lisa, I don't want to hurt anyone, but I will. Can you please make this call? No one has to get hurt." _Except for Keefe—he has to die. Everyone else is optional. _

"I can't—I can't—"

"Can't what?"

"Change it. I'm not authorized—" _You're really getting on my last nerve, Lisa. _

"Yes, you are. Don't lie to me, Lisa. I know that the hotel will listen to you and they will change the room. Stop stalling before someone gets hurt."

"They won't—"

Jackson had had it. He was on top of Lisa within seconds, hands at her throat. "Now, listen up, Leese. Give me one good reason not to snap your neck right now and send you off to see grandma. Why shouldn't I end your life in a quick instant. It will be mostly painless. Huh?"

Her green eyes were wide in fright. "I'll call."

"Good girl, Lisa. Now, relax and dial."

He moved back to his seat and handed her the phone. She eyed him warily but as he requested. It went off without a hitch. The job was done and Lisa was his.

_Now, was it really that hard, Lisa? Was it worth all that stalling? It got you nowhere… _

**Author's Notes:**

Okay, not the best chapter, but I'm exhausted and I realized that I need to double-up on the chapters to finish by Saturday. So the rest of the plane flight and Lisa's courageous fight will be in the next chapter. The phone call bit was longer than I had planned on. There might have to be an epilogue. Thanks for the reviews and enjoy!


	10. Chapter Nine

**Do My Part**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything related to _Red Eye_!

**Chapter Nine**

A while later, Lisa whispered to him, "I need to go to the bathroom."

"Don't get cute. I can still have your father killed if you're any trouble," he told her, slowly allowing her up from her seat.

"I know," she said softly, her head down. _Stop with the pity party already, Lisa. It really doesn't suit you._

He watched her head down the aisle. She was beaten and broken — lifeless. _Aw, we never got to have any fun…_

She was gone for an unsettling amount of time. _What is she doing in there? Drowning herself in the sink?_

Jackson left his seat and calmly wandered down the aisle to wait for her. Whatever she was doing in there could not be too good. Apparently, he should have refused to let her go on her own. She would get what was coming to her if she had disobeyed his direct order.

The bathroom door slid open and Lisa came into view. She jumped at the sight of him and he quickly shoved her back inside and shut the door. The lights came on as he locked the door and she struggled against him. He clamped a hand down on her mouth, muffling her words.

"What took you so long, huh? What'd you do in here?" he hissed, glancing around the tiny bathroom.

He watched her green eyes worriedly flick towards the mirror and he spun around and chuckled. "Think you're clever, huh?"

_18 F HAS BOMB __— __How unoriginal, Leese. Surely you could've come up with something better to write in soap. Oh well… _

He released her mouth, waiting for her answer.

"I—I didn't--" she stammered, unsure of what to say.

"Didn't what?" he teased, his anger barely concealed.

"Didn't mean to…"

"Sure you didn't. You thought it was smart at the time. But it was stupid, Lisa, very stupid. This little stunt would have cost your father his life. Is that what you want?"

"No…" Lisa protested sadly, shaking her head.

"Why'd you write that nasty little lie then?"

"Please, just let me go. I did what you wanted…"

"No, I can't do that," Jackson said, shaking his head as he pressed her back into the wall. "I can't ever let you go."

"But you said—"

"I never said I'd let you go. I said I'd let you live."

"But—"

"No 'buts' about it, Leese. You're mine. You'll never leave me." He moved in closer to her, his face right in front of hers. She squirmed beneath him, trying in vain to escape him. _Naughty, naughty Lisa… _

"Please… let me go. If you have any humanity in you—"

"I don't, Leese. Don't think I'm something that I'm not. What you see is what you get."

"No one could be that…cruel," she said, shaking her head courageously.

He smirked. "Oh, but I am."

"Well, then you're just fucked."

He placed his hands on her throat and squeezed tightly. She gasped and clawed desperately at his grip. Jackson smiled at her. _Bad girls get punished, Lisa. You've been a bad girl… Don't think I won't kill you, 'cause I will. _

He tightened his hold, pressing on her throat until she passed out. He released her then and allowed her to drop to the floor in a heap. Jackson bent down beside his prey and touched her throat, checking her pulse. Slow, yet steady…Lisa was still alive.

_Good, maybe you'll learn your lesson. I can always do this again. I can head-butt you too, sweetheart. Now, it's time to wake up._

Jackson struck her harshly across the face. Sometimes a stinging slap would bring a person back. She flinched and groaned. He had not pushed her very deep into unconsciousness—just enough to force her to pass out.

"Well, Lisa, what do you think now? Any new-found clarity?" Jackson grinned at her.

She glared openly at him. He shrugged and yanked her up from the floor and shoved her into the wall beside the mirror. _Resistance is futile and you need to learn it. You're mine despite what you might believe._

"Why me?" Lisa croaked, rubbing her throat as best she could.

"It's simple. I just spent the last eight weeks of my life tracking you. I know you better than you know yourself. I invested my life in yours."

"Why would you do that?"

"It's my job, Lisa. I was doing my part of the job."

"And kidnapping is part of it?" She stared at him in utter disbelief and disappointment.

"Would you prefer that I killed you?"

"My life's over anyways…"

"Still dwelling on your husband's death? That was four years ago; you've already cried a river, so now build a bridge and fucking get over it," Jackson snarled. "You never even loved him."

She bit her lip and tears welled in her eyes once more. _Great, here comes the waterworks… _

"Let it out, Lisa."

Someone was banging on the bathroom door. "Hey, what are you doing in there? Other people have to use the bathroom too!"

Jackson shot Lisa a withering look as she started to breakdown. He quickly turned to the mirror and began furiously whipping it. "I'm sorry," Jackson called out to the impatient person outside. "My wife isn't feeling very good and she didn't want to make a scene in front of everyone, so I thought we'd be better off in the bathroom. Very sorry about the wait." _Not! _

"I'm not your wife!" Lisa hissed in his ear, trying to strike him. Jackson grabbed her left hand and fished an object out of his pocket. He quickly jammed it on her ring finger.

"Now you are," he smirked in reply. Lisa glanced at her hand in horror. It was her wedding ring, the one she had hidden away in her house. "Come along, Leese; let's go back to our seats."

Dejectedly, she followed him wordlessly from the bathroom. Jackson politely held the door open for the anxious person and apologized in person as Lisa headed back towards her seat. _That went rather well, I think. _

* * *

The plane was beginning its descent and Lisa was still sitting numbly in her seat. He would glance over at her occasionally and smile. She refused to look at him and he would sometimes catch her glaring at the band on her finger. _That's right, Lisa, blame the ring…God knows that it was out to get you for keeping it in a drawer. _

"I was thinking that maybe we could stop at Starbucks after the plane lands… sound good?" Jackson questioned her.

No response.

"Lisa, answer me."

Still nothing.

_Stop pissing me off…_

He grabbed her chin and forced her to face him. "Answer me, Lisa, or daddy dearest gets his head bashed in."

A painful look crossed her face, but she acquiesced. "Sure…" she sighed.

"Peachy," he said, patting her cheek.

She tried to spin her head away from him, but he was quicker. He clenched his hand around her jaw and hissed into her ear, his lips pressed against the soft skin. "Stop playing hard to get. You're gonna have to learn to deal. I'm not going _anywhere_, Leese."

"I know," Lisa responded quietly.

"Glad to see that you finally understand how things work. Good for you."

Silence once more.

He released her and straightened his jacket. He could feel her eyes on him, but he ignored her. _Two can play this game, Leese._

The plane landed semi-smoothly and Jackson clapped. Lisa remained frozen in her seat.

A loud PING filled the air and he glanced up at the seatbelt sign. A sudden pain pierced his throat and Lisa was climbing over him. He reached towards the pain and felt a _pen_?

_She stabbed me with a fucking pen? What the hell is wrong with her? _

**Author's Notes:**

Lisa's really weak in Jackson's eyes, and that's why she's portrayed as such a weak person in this story. The chase bit will be in the next chapter, which should be up tomorrow along with the possible epilogue. We'll see. Enjoy and thanks so much for the reviews!


	11. Chapter Ten

**Do My Part**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything related to _Red Eye_!

**Chapter Ten**

Jackson was livid. _How dare she pull such a stunt after everything that I've done for her? I'll show her what happens when she disobeys me. I'll kill her father for this __— __n__ice and slow. I'll force her to watch it too… _

He stalked back to the bathroom. Glaring in the mirror, he saw a monster-headed pen sticking out of his windpipe. _How cute __— __not. _

He ripped the pen free and chucked it to the ground. _She's getting away! I have to catch her! She must be punished! _

Dashing back through the crowded plane, Jackson hastened after his prey. He evaded the flight attendants who wanted him to file a report to the police. He snatched a scarf draped around a blonde woman's neck as he ran. The scarf would hopefully stop any bleeding from the neck wound.

_Where did that little bitch go?_

He was deep within the airport now, eyes alert and searching for any sign of the woman who had attacked him. His prey — his Lisa. He reached for his phone, only to discover it missing. _She must have snatched it. Like it will stop me..._

Across the way, he could see her. Her back was turned, her white sweater gone, but it was unmistakably her. Suddenly she spotted him and bolted it. The chase was on.

Jackson pounded after her, following her twisted turns through the airport, up the stairs, and to the long flat escalator. She ran down it and he pursued her. She tripped and hit the ground. _This is it! You're mine!_

But Lisa jumped to her feet and scampered away. Unwilling to give up, he continued on, until he was dead-ended by the sliding metro doors. Her terrified eyes as he banged on the door only fueled his fury. _She got away! Damn it! This wasn't supposed to happen! _

He watched her speed away on the rails, silently fuming before heading out to his car in the long-term parking lot. He jumped into the black sports car, grateful that he had chosen to leave that one at the airport instead of his boxier Beemer. Firing up the engine and hitting the gas, Jackson knew he could beat Lisa home.

_She thinks she's safe, but she has no idea what she's done._

He yanked the spare cell phone from the center console and dialed his faithful dog.

Rasping, he ordered, "Move in. Don't kill him — just corral him until I get there. The bitch is loose."

_Lisa, Lisa, daddy's got to die now. You've been a bad girl, sweetheart. You have to be punished for misbehaving._

Jackson turned onto Joseph Reisert's street and parked in front of his next-door neighbor's house. Lisa would not be looking for his car, but he was not about to tip her off to his presence. He hurried out of the car and around the back of the house.

_Aw, you shouldn't have…_ He pulled the key out from underneath the rock and unlocked the backdoor as a loud crash sounded and shook the house. Jackson pocketed the key and pulled the door shut; locking it behind him.

Footsteps and voices drifted to his ears. _Leese, you came back to me. Good girl. _

"I'll get the first aid kit," Joe said, heading Jackson's way from the den. _Now's my chance._

When the older man entered the kitchen, Jackson was ready and lying in wait. He head-butted her father and carefully placed him on the floor. He had to catch Lisa first before he could kill him, or perhaps he would kill his prize in front of dear ol' dad. No matter what, he needed Lisa in his possession first.

He silently walked towards the den, barely noticing his dead associate by the busted front door.

"Dad?" Lisa called, stepping in the hallway.

"Hi," Jackson rasped, a hand flying up to his injured throat.

"Dad!"

"He can't help you, Lisa. No one can. Now be a good girl and stop playing games. I'm sick and tired of these petty games."

Lisa turned and ran. He waited, listening for her and heard her crashing into the kitchen. He followed his ears and taunted her as she stared at the unconscious body of Joe. _Go ahead, scream. Give me a reason to end your miserable existence. _

Not that he needed a reason. Lisa Reisert was going to die, but it all depended on her as to when and how. Jackson wanted to hang onto her awhile longer, yet if she wanted to play around, he could gut her that very day. _Like a fish, Leese. _

A game of cat and mouse ensued, and they both were playing to win. Jackson had nothing to lose except his life and job, but Lisa had her life and her father's life to lose. She also had knowledge of the house. He had been so incredibly focused on her that he had forgotten to learn her father's house. He had never expected things to get this far out of control.

_You and I both know how this is gonna end…so, why are you still fighting?_

She had used his own tricks against him—head-butting him down the stairs, while stabbing a shoe into his left thigh. He hated her resourcefulness, but still impressed. Impressed enough to know that she had to die that day. He limped towards his associate. _Surely, he was keeping a knife for me __— __ah-ha! _

He unsheathed the twelve-inch blade and made his slow and deliberate way up the stairs. He had her cornered now, having locked the door at the bottom of the back stairwell. She was his.

_Come out, come out, wherever you are…_

She darted past him and slammed a door in his face.

"Leese, do you really think a door's gonna stop me?" Jackson taunted, eagerly picked at the lock with his knife.

He could hear her labored breathing on the other side of the wood separating them.

"Yes, I do. At least until I find something to bash your head in with," Lisa snapped back.

"Did we wake up on the wrong side of the plane, Leese? Or maybe we've got a headache?"

"Shut up, Jack."

He ripped the door open just as she darted out the other end. _What a waste of time!_

He tracked her and was ready when she came swinging at him with a field hockey stick. He deflected the blows with his arm and attacked with his knife. _What are those things made of? Damn, they hurt!_

She screamed at him and swiped him off his feet. He rolled as she tried to bring the stick down on him. He reached towards the dropped blade, only to have her smack his hand.

_That bitch broke my hand! I'll kill her nice and slow now __— __no fast escape for you, Lisa. _

His weapon clattered out into the hallway. He was now weaponless and she still clutched the stick. Jackson frowned and snatched the fiberglass weapon from her. She yelped in pain as he threw her up against the wall.

"No!" Lisa shrieked, fighting him.

"You fought back, now you have to pay the price," he sneered, gripping her wrists and pinning her to the wall with his body. He was rasping and they both were winded from all of the fighting.

"You're a pathetic excuse for a human."

"Gee, thanks."

"You're not welcome."

"Too bad," he shrugged; then flipped her over the stair railing.

She tumbled down and crashed into the wooden door below. Her dazed eyes looked up at him.

_You see, I win; you lose. You'll always lose against me._

Lisa was broken and beaten. He picked up his knife and headed down to his prize. She weakly crawled away from him.

"Why are you still bothering to run? You've got nowhere left to hide."

A gun in his face was his reply. He laughed hoarsely. "Don't shoot yourself, sweetheart."

A single, silenced shot cracked the air. He felt the bullet bite his side. She had terrible aim. _Oh well… you've just gone and pissed me off again…_

He knocked the gun from her hands and pulled her up from the floor by her hair. She protested, but he was stronger. Adrenaline was pumping through his system; fueling his fury.

"Now, how would you like to die?" he whispered in her ear.

She writhed in his grasp as he reached for her throat, ready to squeeze the life from her. Another shot sounded and he fell to the floor.

_What the fuck just happened?_

Lisa stood over him, her father behind her with a protective arm on her shoulder as she shook.

"We'll talk again," Jackson hissed at her from the floor as the paramedics arrived to cart him away.

_This isn't over yet, Leese. It won't be over until I have your dead, mutilated body in my hands. Then, I'll move on. But you won't. You're no better than her…and you'll get no less than what your kind deserves… _

**Author's Notes:**

The ending sticks closer to the movie than I had originally planned, but I decided to go a head and write a sequel, so this was the best stopping point. The sequel is called _You Failed, Jack_ and I'm posing the prologue later today. It picks up a few months after this, while Jackson is plotting his revenge.


End file.
